Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)
Abstract
This is SIGAR s eighteenth quarterly report on the status of the U.S.- funded reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. We find ourselves today at a critical juncture. Two years from now, the U.S. military will have ended its combat mission in Afghanistan, a new Afghan president will have been elected, and security responsibilities will have been transferred to the Afghan government. These events will fundamentally change the landscape of the Afghanistan reconstruction effort, and it is the recently sworn-in 113th Congress that will preside over this most important period. The members of this Congress will ultimately determine the extent of U.S. assistance to support the Afghan security forces, to strengthen the Afghan economy, and to promote good governance. The Congress has appropriated nearly $89 billion to rebuild Afghanistan more than the United States has ever spent on the reconstruction of any other nation. Of the nearly $13.8 billion appropriated to four of the largest reconstruction funds for FY 2012, about $8.6 billion remains to be obligated. The President s FY 2013 budget request includes nearly $10 billion for Afghanistan s reconstruction. If appropriated, these funds will bring the amount available to implementing agencies for obligation to more than $19 billion. We must ensure these funds are spent judiciously and achieve desired outcomes. In light of the narrowing window of opportunity as U.S. forces draw down in Afghanistan and the unprecedented investment of taxpayer dollars, SIGAR has been examining what we have learned about Afghan reconstruction and how our work can ensure that these remaining funds are used wisely. While there has been major progress in Afghanistan, SIGAR s work since 2009 has repeatedly identified problems in every area of the reconstruction effort from inadequate planning, insufficient coordination, and poor execution, to lack of meaningful metrics to measure progress.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 30, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA577944
Entities
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction